In whose best interest?: One child's odyssey, a nation's responsibility [Unknown Binding]

John Seita (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1996

The story of one man's journey through life from a troubled, abused childhood through foster care and institutional living.

Product Details

• Unknown Binding: 144 pages
• Publisher: Continental Press (1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564563111
• ISBN-13: 978-1564563118
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,917,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. John Seita is the author of four books and multiple articles on foster care. He holds a doctorate from Western Michigan University. He is on the faculty of the School of Social Work at Michigan State University where he also has appointments with MSU Extension/4-H and with the Michigan Agricultural Experimental Station.

Dr. Seita is a former youth at risk who beat the odds. He was removed from his mother's home at the age of eight and spent the remainder of his childhood and adolescence in multiple foster homes, detention facilities, group care settings and on the streets. Abused and neglected as a child, his journey though children's institutions and countless foster homes was a litany of degradation and humiliation.

Today Dr. Seita is a much sought after consultant and keynote speaker who has traveled internationally. He may be contacted at his website: http://www.johnseita.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New understanding, November 1, 2000

By 

"christinaaube" (Battle Creek, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In whose best interest?: One child's odyssey, a nation's responsibility

Dr. Seita's book has helped me to understand the youth that I come into daily contact with on my job. This book gives insight into what these youth experience and how they feel. It truly is inspiring and thought provoking. No kid is a "lost cause."

I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Seita in the past and I look forward to reading his future books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reclaiming Unreclaimable Kids, November 24, 1999

By 

Larry Brendtro, Ph.D. (Traverse City, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In whose best interest?: One child's odyssey, a nation's responsibility

The author draws on his own experience as a troubled, fatherless youth who was removed from his alcoholic mother and experienced a dozen failed cour-ordered placements in foster care and institutional settings. Today, this former troubled youth holds a doctorate and is an expert on resilient youth. Dr. Seita reflects on the process of reclaiming adult-wary, rebellious youth and provides a blueprint for success with these challenging young people. He writes this book with co-authors from Starr Commonwealth, the treatment program where John turned his life around. To those who propose that troubled youth should be discarded through policies of zero tolerance and harsh punishment, Seita's book speaks with pround moral authority. This book will be equally meaningful to any professional and lay readers who are open to the message that even our most troubled youth can be redeemed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, March 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In whose best interest?: One child's odyssey, a nation's responsibility

Good textbook for people working in residential care with children removed from the homes of their parents. This book shows the pain of children and the dedication of professionals.